Convocation is a special time of year, in part because the College honors leading figures in education, health, psychology and business. This year was just a little bit more special, though, because the honorees included TC’s own Jack Hyland, Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees, who received the Cleveland E. Dodge Medal for Distinguished Service to Education, the highest recognition the College accords to a non-educator.

Past Dodge Medalists include Robert Rubin, former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury; Harold McGraw, former Chairman, CEO and President of McGraw-Hill Education; George Weiss, founder of Say Yes to Education; Richard Robinson, CEO of Scholastic Inc.; and William Ruane, creator of the Carmel Hill Fund.

Hyland, who has served on TC’s board for 29 years – including 13 as Co-Chair, a period encompassing two presidential searches and two record-setting campaigns – is a former investment banker who is now one of the four principals of Media Advisory Partners. As noted by his Board Co-Chair, William Rueckert, he is also a published novelist and biographer; a skilled photographer; an art connoisseur who has chaired the board of the American Academy in Rome and served on the boards of several leading art museums in the United States; and a former theoretical physics major.

“I don’t know if you’ve seen that beer commercial about the world’s most interesting man, but in my book, Jack Hyland has an excellent claim to the title,” said Rueckert, who presented Hyland with the award – which is named for his own grandfather, who served on TC’s Board for 67 years – at the College’s Medalist Dinner, on the eve of the first of four convocation ceremonies.  Calling his colleague, above all, “a builder of relationships” Rueckert said that Hyland is “the consummate master” at “bringing people together and creating bonds of understanding and appreciation among them.” He also estimated that Hyland has attended some 116 board meetings and more than 400 committee sessions. 

TC President Susan Fuhrman called Hyland “a class act through and through,” adding that “if CNN polled the TC community on Jack, his favorable ratings would be in the high 90s – at least.” She thanked Hyland for being “one of the best friends – and most valuable assets -- this great institution has ever had.”

Rueckert then read an official citation to Hyland, signed by the entire Board, which concluded: “This award only affirms what you must surely know: At Teachers College, you are loved and cherished, and both TC and the world are better off because of you.”

In accepting the Dodge Medal, Hyland cited the late education historian and TC President Lawrence Cremin’s description of Teachers College as standing “at the forefront of every major movement, issue and conflict in American education, health and psychology.”

“This is the legacy we have as trustees – to protect, and build upon our incredible history and to help propel this institution and leadership into the future,” Hyland said. “We have what George Bernard Shaw called, ‘A splendid torch, which we have got hold of for the moment, and we want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.’”

—Joe Levine

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Published Tuesday, Jun 7, 2016